Mozzarella Grilled Cheese

Grilled cheese is the ultimate comfort food–it’s gooey, crispy, buttery and cheesy. Swapping out a few classic ingredients for slightly more sophisticated ones can make a dramatic difference in turning this childhood novelty into a gourmet favorite.

Instead of white bread, I used slices of rosemary bread. Because the bread is the first thing you bite into, I believe it’s important to choose a kind that says, “Hey taste buds–get ready for this!” Olive or even jalapeño bread would be excellent too! Next is the cheese. I chose mozzarella because it melts beautifully and its white color contrasts the bright-colored toppings.

Now let’s be honest, you could stop the party right there. You could melt the cheese on the bread and have a pretty tasty grilled cheese. But why not take it to the next level? Slice up a tomato, pull out the jar of roasted red peppers in your fridge and snip a few leaves of basil from your garden. (This is me dreaming…I don’t have a herb garden, but if you do…rock on!)

One more important thing–butter. Don’t skimp and use spray or anything. I’m talking real butter all over the bread. That’s how you get the golden brown crispness that makes the grilled cheese look like it came straight out of a food magazine!

This recipe takes the classic grilled cheese up to a whole new, gourmet level.

Recipe type: Lunch

Serves: 1

Ingredients

2 medium slices rosemary bread

2-4 medium slices mozzarella cheese

1 medium slice tomato

2 medium slices roasted red peppers

3 leaves basil

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

butter

Instructions

Top with mozzarella cheese, basil, tomato and roasted red pepper.

Drizzle balsamic vinegar on the non-buttered side of the other slice of bread. Place bread (balsamic side down) on top of peppers. Let cook for about 3-4 minutes, or until golden brown.

Carefully flip sandwich to other side. Let cook until cheese is fully melted and bread is golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.

3.5.3226

I should mention that this grilled cheese is pretty messy. Balsamic and tomato juice drip from the sides and the peppers want to slip out. This is all part of the fun of eating it, but I just wanted to warn you!

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Hey there! I'm Gabriela Rodiles, also known as Gourmet Gab. I write about simple, healthy recipes and love making cooking videos. You can watch me on Food Network Snapchat Discover. I am always cooking behind-the-scenes on my Snapchat and Instagram, so give it a follow below. Thanks for coming by! Read More…